After 38 years of service as a Cape Girardeau physician, Dr. Jean Allen Chapman, 69, will retire from private practice next week.

After a year as the president of the American College of Allergy and Immunology, based in Arlington Heights, Ill., he will return full-time to his first love, art.

Chapman said he has always loved art, and after his year's stint as president he will return to Cape full-time to work on long awaited art projects.

A Cape Girardeau native, Chapman grew up on the campus of Southeast Missouri State. His father was the superintendent of grounds for the school. His mother was a retired English teacher.

Chapman attended Campus School, and completed the first 90 hours of his college career at Southeast.

He was in 7th grade when he began a love affair with art. He wanted to be an art major in college but his mother said no.

Chapman said his mother wanted him to be a doctor, and with a little influence from his friends he went to medical school.

"All my friends went to medical school so I thought I would try," he said. Retired Cape Girardeau physician Dr. Melvin Kasten was among those friends.

As a sophomore in college Chapman attended Washington University in St. Louis. He graduated from medical school in 1953. He also finished a masters of arts in anatomy.

Chapman continued his love of art as a hobby during his years in medical school. His education in anatomy gave him an appreciation for the human body.

"Some people think the body is the house of God," he said. "I love to sculpt hands."

Chapman said he particular likes to sculpt the female form. "I love to make ladies. I have 50 to 100 figurines at home."

In November 1996, a sculpture titled "Elizabeth" was dedicated and displayed on the campus of Southeast Missouri State University.

The sculpture, a carving of a female figure out of dolomite limestone, was a tribute to a late patient of Chapman's.

He said he plans to continue forming the curves of the human body in stone.

"I use a sandblasting technique on the stone." He said he has a piece of stone on his patio at home waiting to be sculpted.

While attending Washington University Chapman found a second love. An esteemed professor, Dr. Charles Eyermann, discovered that feathers cause people to be allergic.

This opened Chapman's eyes to the field of allergy and immunology, although he did his residency in internal medicine.

"The field of allergy and immunology was in its infancy," he said. "Immunology relates to other areas of medicine. It is still the area of medicine that is developing the most new information every day."

Chapman has won many awards during his long career. Among these, he has the honor of being one of the few physicians who earned the title of Master in the American College of Physicians.

Through the years Chapman has combined his love for art and photography with his work.

His use of microphotography led to a teaching tool for his patients. Using his micro-photos of allergens, such as ragweed, he said he can educate his patients better

He also plans to become an author.

"I'm going to write a couple of books," said Chapman. "One will be the botany of Southeast Missouri."

The physician said he has already started one of the books, which will include vignettes about former patients.

Chapman said he has kept a dairy over the years of funny and heartwarming stories from his patients. Now he wants to share them with others.

Chapman is not retiring from his career, only his private practice.

The energetic artist-doctor will continue to do work and research in the study of allergens and will continue to host the weekly show "Ask Your Doctor" on the Cable Access Channel 5.